Gannet c.30 fishing offshore from
Birling Gap and Cow Gap
Little Egret 1 flew
west past Birling Gap
Heron 3 in off at Birling Gap
Kestrel c.2
Peregrine 1 adult in primary moult
Swallow c.8
House Martin c.10
Wheatear c.10
Whinchat 2
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 1
Lesser Whitethroat 5
Whitethroat c.25
Sedge Warbler 3
Melodious Warbler 1 ex. Found by JFC in the Hotel Gardens the previous day. On locating
it today it immediately appeared a large pale plain-faced Warbler, with a large
yellow-looking bill and pale yellow wash to the ‘face’ immediately suggesting a
Hippolais. After a brief initial view it remained frustratingly extremely
elusive taking roughly 2 hours for DC to determine the primary projection
(having spent 2 hours the previous day failing to see the bird at all !).
Originally seen close to the ground, it was then seen variously in rosebay
willowherb, gorse and climbing quite high in elderberry bushes. It was seen in
flight on several occasions covering a fairly large area. Large bill appearing
predominantly yellow and often held slightly up-tilted. Supercilium well marked
in front of eye and extending a fair way behind of the eye appearing quite
yellow when the bird was viewed facing slightly away. Lores pale giving the
bird an open-faced expression with large dark eye surrounded by a pale
eye-ring. Often appearing rounded-crowned though on a couple of occasions quite
flat-crowned ! Crown, ear-coverts, mantle and scapulars greyish-green and
uniform. Coverts and primaries appearing slightly darker than upperparts
contrasting with a pale panel formed by paler fringes to the secondaries which
depending on the angle of the bird sometimes appeared very noticeable and
completely absent at others. A medium primary projection being approximately
half the length of the exposed tertials with primaries tipped pale and the
longest primaries falling roughly at the base of the tail. Tail square with several
of the outer tail feathers appearing ‘bleached’ contrasting with darker central
tail feathers being very noticeable in flight. Some yellow restricted to the
throat becoming pale, almost white, on the remainder of the underparts. Legs
appeared dark brownish with the bird being ringed ! (perhaps just coincidence
but a bird trapped at Portland within the previous week). In flight the bird
gave the impression of a large pale, somewhat bleached-looking Warbler. Not
heard to call.
Willow Warbler c.30
Chiffchaff 1 adult
Pied Flycatcher 1
